Polio this week - As of 13 February 2013

On 8 February, two health facilities in Kano state, Nigeria, were attacked, killing eleven people, including health workers, and injuring several others.

Such attacks on health workers are absolutely and unconditionally unacceptable, and must be condemned in the strongest terms. Our sympathy goes out to the victims and their families. It is yet another example of the heroic and courageous work of frontline health workers, often working under extremely dangerous conditions in efforts to ensure the health of populations everywhere no matter where they live.

The attacks have been widely condemned, including by the Government of Nigeria, the UN Secretary-General, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and partner agencies of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.